The Second Time They Die
by Namazukage
Summary: After a vehicular accident, Clara alternates between life in England, where she is haunted by an ill man, and life in prison, overseen by a powerful warden. Clara is convinced one of these lives is a dream, and she knows which one it is. Probably. Maybe.
1. Chapter 1

**The Second Time They Die**

_Chapter 1_

Clara registered the sounds of sirens before she realized how much pain she was feeling. Lying on the road, she slowly opened her eyes and saw a sedan with its windows and a headlight shattered on one side. From Clara's angle, it looked like the car was propped up against a lamppost. There was a handlebar and a tire nearby, presumably from Clara's motorcycle. Clara tried to survey her surroundings, but turning her head made the pain worse. After a few more seconds, she decided to close her eyes.

A loud bang brought Clara back to consciousness.

"Wake up!" someone said. "I want to go home, but I need to complete your orientation first, so wake up!"

Clara slowly sat up and realized she wasn't hurting anymore. As she stood, she noticed she was in a group of tiny prison cells with two other inmates to her left and seven to her right.

"Where am I?" Clara asked a guard nearby.

"Welcome to Agate Manor Prison. I am Kovena Podriss, the transition coordinator here. I don't care what you did to end up in the prison for the worst criminals in the galaxy. I only care that you become quickly acclimated to this prison."

"Wait," said Clara. "I don't understand how I got here."

"You came from far away," Kovena replied. "The stasis procedure likely affected your memory. You'll return to normal eventually."

"But I shouldn't be here! Why am I here?"

"That's not in the files. It's irrelevant now, anyway."

"No, wait. Some of it's coming back to me," Clara quietly said to herself. "There was an accident. Was it my fault?"

Clara tried to jog her memory more as all ten new convicts were processed and transported to their permanent cells among the rest of the Agate Manor prisoners.

"It shouldn't be this hard to remember," Clara told herself. "I know it's there in my head somewhere."

Without a clock or watch, Clara assumed several hours had passed as she futilely attempted to remember what happened between the crash and arriving at the prison. She paced around and leaned against her ajar door. Noticing the movement, Clara slowly opened her cell door with a puzzled look.

"Don't!" a neighbor said. "You must be confused. I can read the look on your face."

"Okay," Clara simply replied.

The other woman opened her door, then shut it. "These aren't locked, but that doesn't mean it's time to walk freely. We are to be confined for the remainder of the day."

Clara looked around the area. "Where are the guards?"

"There are no guards."

"Wait, I'm Clara. What's your name?"

"I'm Pendrell."

"If there are no guards and no locks, why is everyone here following the rules?"

Pendrell shook her head and lied down on her bed.

A wall panel suddenly moved, revealing a small meal. Deciding to figure out the situation later, Clara quietly ate dinner and lied down. Lights outside the cells soon turned off and the lights in the individual cells dimmed.

* * *

Clara woke up the next morning when the lights shone bright again. She noticed another small meal had been delivered. Pendrell was eating hers.

"Morning," Clara said.

"Is than an expression where you're from?" Pendrell asked.

"Yes." Clara looked around. She walked over to a toilet and covered herself with a sheet as she used it.

Pendrell smiled. "You'll lose your modesty soon enough."

"May I ask what you did to be sent here?" Clara asked after using the toilet and beginning her breakfast.

"I hijacked a ship transporting tachyon modulation rods. Some bad things happened. What did you do?"

"I think I caused a car accident. I'm not sure. Cars are like small ships that run on the ground using wheels."

"What did the cars carry?"

"Other people," Clara answered.

"Anyone important?"

"I'm not sure about that, either."

"There must've been someone important you hurt if you got sent here."

"I don't know," Clara replied. "This can't be right. There's no one on Earth that I could hurt or even kill to be sent someplace like this. I'm not sure the accident was even my fault. I can't remember. This doesn't make sense."

"Free time begins now," an intercom voice announced.

Pendrell left her cell and glanced back at Clara.

"Did your transition coordinator tell you to avoid the red doors?" Pendrell asked.

Clara nodded.

"We are free to go anywhere else. This free time lasts twenty cycles," Pendrell finished as she headed away. She didn't wait for a response from Clara.

Clara slowly opened her cell door and cautiously joined the crowd advancing outside.

Seeing blue doors, Clara opted to explore the inside of the prison first. She proceeded through multiple corridors, trying to make sense of her location. She eventually reached a large hall with numerous statues in many forms. Some of the statues looked humanoid. Clara took a close look at some of the statues and then continued her exploration. She then arrived at an infirmary.

"Do you need medical assistance?" a doctor asked.

"No. I'm new here. I'm just looking around."

"So it is, then. If you ever need medical assistance, you know where we are."

"Actually, I am having some memory problems. I can't remember how I got here."

"That's not atypical, especially if you were in stasis for a long time. When did you arrive?"

"Yesterday," Clara answered.

"Sleep early tonight and sleep early tomorrow night. If your memories don't start returning after tomorrow night, come see us."

"All right. How about communication? Are there communication systems here?" Clara asked. "I mean, is there a way to contact someone outside this prison?"

"There is no system for prisoners. If you want visitors, speak to a guard. Even our methods of communication are heavily restricted when we're here."

"And supervised," another doctor added.

"Okay. Thanks." Clara decided to head back to her cell until she took a chance. "Do any of you know the Doctor?"

"We're all doctors."

"I meant the Doctor."

The doctors in the infirmary looked at each other quizzically.

"Never mind," Clara said.

"Prisoners are advised to prepare to return to their cells," a loud voice announced over speakers. "Free time ends in five cycles."

"You should go," the first doctor advised.

"Thanks," replied Clara.

Clara proceeded back to her cell, until she reached a room with murals on two opposing walls.

"I didn't see this before," Clara commented quietly. She backtracked until she reached a room with two doors.

"Prisoners should be returning to their cells now," a voice soon announced.

Clara sped through the other door and rushed towards her cell. She started to panic when she reached another room that was unfamiliar to her.

"If you have not done so, return to your cells immediately," an announcement said.

Clara ran until she came across another room with two doors and dashed towards her cell.

"Free time ends in 9 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . 0."

Clara continued running, certain that she was headed in the correct direction. She noticed numbness in her left arm. She ignored it until her left arm seemed hard and the numbness spread to her left shoulder. Still running, Clara started feeling pain that quickly became intense. The discomfort forced Clara to stop, and she leaned against a wall as the numbness, hardening, and pain spread.

After a few seconds and hearing a whisper about a warden, Clara passed out from the pain.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Intermittent beeping was the first thing Clara noticed when she stirred awake and opened her eyes.

"Clara? You're awake."

"Danny, is that you?"

"It's me. How are you feeling?"

Clara let out a huge sigh. "I just had the most ridiculous dream."

"It was bad?" asked Danny.

"Yes," Clara answered.

"I'm not sure reality will be better anytime soon."

"Car accident. I remember. How long has it been?"

"Around nineteen hours," replied Danny.

"Did they tell you what's wrong?"

"A couple fractures, some internal bleeding, both your legs are broken. Doctor Wrick thinks you'll make a full recovery, but you'll have to be very patient. I think the pun was unintended."

"What's happening with my classes?"

"They hired a long-term substitute called Tammy Harris. She's good enough to take care of your students, but not good enough to replace you."

Clara closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"Does your body hurt a lot?"

"It's manageable," Clara replied.

"Really?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"I heard very good things about this hospital. Some of the patients here are getting better at incredible speeds."

"Don't talk to me about speed," Clara said with a slight smile.

* * *

After a couple weeks, Clara had recovered enough to get out of bed and wander the grounds of the hospital in a wheelchair under the supervision of physical therapist Nils Compton.

"Danny told me that people recover quickly here."

"We have very good staff," Nils replied as he pushed Clara through a path under some trees.

"Including physical therapists. I feel better after every one of our sessions."

"Thank you. I'm very happy to hear you say that, but I was also going to add that we have good patients. You, in particular, are young and resilient and you have the right attitude. Don't ever underesti . . . mate attitude."

"Are you all right, Nils? You took a pause there."

"Yes, I just suddenly felt a little tired. I was also going to say that I visited you right after you first came in because I assumed I would get to treat you. I familiarized myself with your medical history."

Nils stopped to take a few deep breaths.

"Nils?" Clara asked with concern.

"I'm fine, but how would you feel about doing some stretches back in your room?"

"That'd be great," Clara answered. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, now let's focus on your health."

On the way back to Clara's room, Clara and Nils ran into a patient leaving the hospital.

"Hello, Nils!"

"Hi, Sally. I'm sure you'll find your footing back at work very easily and quickly, but I will still wish you all the luck I can."

"Thank you for everything. I don't think I could have done any of this without you," Sally told Nils. She turned her attention to Clara. "You're in great hands. I guarantee it."

"Thanks. I'm Clara Oswald, by the way."

"I'm Sally Trotter. Good luck to you."

"With a lot of patience and Nils' magic, I think I'll be fine."

"Sounds right," Sally responded.

Clara noticed Nils starting to look a little pale. "I suppose we should go back in. Good luck."

"Thank you and thank you, Nils."

* * *

After a couple more weeks, Clara was approaching her discharge date. A doctor was examining her when Danny entered the room.

"Let's repeat with this leg. I'm going to push, and I need you to resist me," instructed Cary West. "Good."

"What do you think?" Danny asked.

"I'd like another two nights here of close observation and physical therapy. After that, I think you'll be ready to go, pending one final evaluation."

"Thank you," Clara said. "You are all brilliant here."

"Your usual physical therapist is good, isn't he?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, Nils. Does he have any shifts these next two days? I haven't seen him in a while."

Cary suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Nils actually isn't doing well. He passed out a few mornings ago right after arriving here."

"Is he okay?" asked Clara.

"We're not sure. His doctors are still working on him. I heard he hasn't regained consciousness yet and that he's actually been sick for a long while. No one noticed."

"What's wrong with him?" Clara asked.

"Sorry, I'm not allowed to discuss that."

The next two nights passed relatively quickly for Clara, and she was happy to be discharged.

"I'd like to see Nils before we go," Clara told Danny.

Together, the pair entered Nils' room, where a nurse was handling paperwork.

"Is he allowed visitors?" Clara asked.

"Yes, go ahead."

Clara put a hand on Nils and a heart monitor suddenly changed its beeping rhythm.

"Don't worry about that," the nurse said. "Those happen sporadically. It probably wasn't you."

"Get well soon, Nils," said Clara.

* * *

Thanks a lot to **InfinityAgent**, **Kate Groat**, and **jAMAshaha** for following this story.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

Clara's face held a neutral expression as she surveyed her surroundings. She was back in her cell at Agate Manor Prison.

"If I was going back to a dream, did it really have to be this one?" Clara quietly remarked. She tried to stand up, but stumbled.

"Take your time," Pendrell advised. "I was told the warden was merciless."

"What?" asked Clara.

"I also heard you are banned from the infirmary. If you become injured or sick, no one will help you."

"That's fine. I'll just handle it myself." Clara looked around. "Or I could just wake up now."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a dream. I'm at home, in bed."

"This is not a dream," said Pendrell.

"You are a figment of my imagination in this dream. You aren't a credible source," Clara replied, before telling herself to wake up.

"You don't seem mentally healthy, Clara. You even stopped responding to that name for a while. If I was talking to someone else, I'd advise a mental checkup, but as I said, you're banned from the infirmary after what you did."

"Wake up," Clara kept on telling herself.

"This isn't a dream. Why do you think it is?"

"Because it is," Clara answered. "People don't get sent to a prison for the worst criminals in the galaxy after a car accident. They get sent to a hospital, where nice doctors and physical therapists care for them."

"I don't know how much time passed between your accident and your arrival here. Perhaps you were in a hospital. What do you remember?"

Clara opted to tell Pendrell about her time at the hospital with Nils and Danny.

"Is it normal for a human to heal so quickly after so many injuries?"

"No," Clara replied. "That was very quick, but I'm not the only one."

"That sounds like a dream, Clara. You slept and dreamed that. Now, you are back in reality with me."

"I know my recovery was very quick," Clara began.

"You are admitting it is implausible?" Pendrell interrupted.

"It was unlikely, but I've experienced so many things a lot stranger than that."

"Like coming to this prison? Is this so strange to you?"

"Well, my left hand turning to stone was strange. That's the last thing I remember. How did that stop? How did I get here?"

"Clara, that was eight tuns ago."

"Is that a lot of time?"

"I would consider it a long time," Pendrell answered.

"What happened between then and now?"

"The warden stopped the transformation to give you a second chance. Since then, you've tried to escape by stealing a vehicle of a transition coordinator. Then, you attempted to instigate a riot. Finally, you tried to take two doctors hostage to leverage your way out of this prison."

"I don't remember any of that."

"Your memories are still a problem for you. You told me so when I pulled you from Hender Pommis' vehicle. I am still very grateful that he didn't see us."

"You stopped me?" asked Clara.

"Yes, and our fellow prisoners stopped the riot preparations. You only managed to convince two to join you, and we all intervened."

"You all really do follow the rules."

"The warden coming to save your hostages and stop you proved our point," said Pendrell. "There are some here who would like to kill you rather than take the risk of the warden coming here again."

Clara sighed and lied down. "You're that scared of him?"

"He's supposed to handle administrative matters only. He shouldn't have to come address issues here. He doesn't like it. He prefers being reclusive. Even if you don't believe this place to be real, I implore you to at least behave well for our sakes. The warden is a new. We don't understand him yet."

"I don't believe," Clara quietly responded, "but it doesn't look like I can will myself out of this, so I might as well keep trouble to a minimum."

"Why do you suppose you can't wake up?"

Not having a convincing answer, Clara stayed silent.

* * *

The prison's free time arrived as Clara was waiting to wake up.

"I think you should stay here," Pendrell advised. "You'll stay out of sight and assure everyone else that you can avoid trouble."

"Sure thing," Clara exhaled.

"Are you still waiting for this dream to end?"

"Yes."

"As you are," Pendrell commented as she left her cell.

Clara's block was mostly empty and quiet while the other prisoners enjoyed their free time.

Clara was sitting on her bed when two men and a woman approached.

"It's her, the one who doesn't think rules are important."

"I'm not going to create any more trouble, if you're concerned," replied Clara.

"You made the warden come down here."

"It's not going to happen again, so you don't have to worry about that," replied Clara. Despite thinking she was in a dream, Clara felt her pulse quicken.

"What do you think, Jorsil? Will the warden come down for one death among the prisoners?"

"Surely not, Odfris."

"I think eliminating her would be a good decision. It will keep everyone safe."

Odfris pulled out a rod that was minimally sharpened on one end.

"This really isn't necessary," said Clara. "My neighbor Pendrell has told me what I should and shouldn't do. Just give me another chance."

"You received another chance, then you tried to corral us into rebellion," Czerzin countered. "You received yet another chance, and you attacked the doctors."

Odfris opened Clara's cell door.

With Clara focused on Odfris and the rod and the trio focusing on Clara, no one noticed Pendrell charging into the confrontation. She jumped at Odfris with a leg extended, knocking Odfris and the rod down. Pendrell then punched Czerzin, who quickly recovered and engaged in a hand-to-hand fight. Clara saw Odfris falling to the ground after hitting his head against the metal door. Clara and Jorsil reached for the rod. Clara leapt and grabbed the rod, and her momentum knocked her into Jorsil, pushing both far outside the cell while Pendrell and Czerzin's fight moved near the door. Clara attempted to hit Jorsil with the rod, but Jorsil was able to consistently deflect the hits. Behind Jorsil, Pendrell landed a blow to Czersin's head, knocking him out. Clara swung the rod again, and Jorsil caught it. Seeing Pendrell coming up behind her, Jorsil pulled the rod out of Clara's hands and pushed the sharp edge into Pendrell.

Clara could only watch as Pendrell slowly died. Odfris recovered and Jorsil pulled out the rod to use against Clara. Seeing a clear exit and no other options, Clara ran.

Odfris and Jorsil pursued Clara through the prison interior, with Clara hoping she could lose her foes in the corners and multiple doorways.

"Prisoners are advised to prepare to return to their cells," a loud voice eventually announced over speakers. "Free time ends in five cycles."

Clara felt her heart beating even faster. She turned a corner, finding the end of a hallway. Hearing footsteps behind her, Clara frantically tried opening the first of six doors near her until one opened. The footsteps finally stopped, and Clara could hear Odfris and Jorsil outside. Clara heard two loud bangs and braced herself against the door. She let out a quiet gasp as a bang hit the door she was pushing against.

"I heard that," Jorsil commented.

"Free time is ending," Clara said. "Did you hear that? If you stay here, you're going to turn to stone. Or you can just trust that I won't cause any more problems."

"We'll take our chances with the stone," Odfris said. "Maybe the warden will be nice today."

"The stone doesn't always happen?"

"This is pointless," Odfris said. He began slamming his body against the door to bust it open.

Clara tried to time the hits. After a very quick beat of silence, she quickly opened the door with a leg out. Odfris burst in and tripped. Clara then ran out, slamming against a surprised Jorsil and continued running. It wasn't long before Clara could hear multiple footsteps running behind her again. She began feeling out of breath, but continued her retreat.

"Prisoners should be returning to their cells now," a voice announced.

The chase continued. Clara found a stairwell leading up, and she ran up three flights, still followed by Jorsil and Odfris.

"If you have not done so, return to your cells immediately," an announcement later said. Eventually, the last announcement was broadcast. "Free time ends in 9 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . 0."

The chase continued and Clara began feeling hopeful about the lack of transformation.

"There!" Jorsil cried.

Clara burst into a large room just as Jorsil and Odfris caught up to her. In the room was a tall man in a large black hooded robe.

"Vetshen," the man said.

Odfris and Jorsil stammered behind Clara.

"We're sorry!" Odfris offered before both ran away.

"Are you the warden?" Clara asked.

"I must have done more damage yesterday than I anticipated. I apologize for the severity of my violence against you. I might have overreacted in defense of the doctors. Running this moon has been very stressful for me. Nevertheless, I will not change my decision to ban you from the infirmary. Whatever is happening with your pursuers, I suggest you remediate it to avoid harm to yourself. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Clara answered. "I was a bit weak when I first woke up and my legs hurt a little, but I'm feeling better. I'm fine."

"Sounds right," the warden answered. "Was there a reason you are here, aside from evasion?"

"No, I didn't even know you were here. Now that I am here, however, I think I should inform you that Jorsil killed my neighbor Pendrell. I'm not trying to be tattle, but I'm guessing we're not here for additional punishment."

"Thank you for telling me. I will certainly have words with Jorsil about this behavior."

"Words?" Clara repeated with a slightly incredulous tone.

"You are correct. Prisoners are here as punishment, not for punishment. Therefore, my approach to Jorsil's behavior must come with healing intention."

"Fine," Clara said while smiling falsely. She headed back to her cell.

"If you encounter either Jorsil or Odfris again, do let them know that your plight and Pendrell's condition have come to my attention. I will watch them carefully and speak to Jorsil about her actions."

Clara faked a smile and returned to her cell.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

"Sorry," said Danny after bumping against a small table while carrying a box. "I was trying to avoid waking you."

"I don't mind," Clara replied as she sat up. "Do you ever wake up not feeling rested at all because of a bad dream you had?"

"Yes."

"Right, of course," said Clara. "We don't talk a lot about your soldiering. Do you ever wish we did more of that?"

"No, I think we talk enough about it. How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm fine. I'm more certain now that I'm ready to return to Coal Hill on Monday."

Clara prepared for her day by going through her usual routine. She took a walk around her neighborhood after breakfast, passing by a few neighbors who welcomed her back home.

"Nils?" Clara noticed with surprise.

"Hello, Clara."

"You're awake. Are you okay?"

"I think so," Nils replied.

"How do you feel?"

"It feels like I'm having an out-of-body experience sometimes, but I feel fine. How have you been doing?"

"I'm great, thanks to you. Now that we're both out of the hospital, you should join me and my boyfriend for lunch or dinner some day."

"Sure," Nils replied. He pulled out a business card. "Give me a call when you'd like to meet up. I know how to reach you."

"Okay," Clara said with a big smile. "I'll talk to you later."

Clara and Nils parted ways,

"Oh, wait," Clara quickly said. She turned around and Nils was gone. She advanced to a corner to look for him there, but didn't see him. Though perplexed, Clara resumed her day.

* * *

"Good morning, class," Clara announced two days later. "I hope you all learned a lot from Ms. Harris while I was away."

Courtney was, expectedly, the first student to raise her hand.

Clara quickly ran through a list of ideas for what Courtney would ask and was not surprised by what she heard.

"Yes, Courtney?"

"Did the people in the other car survive?"

"Yes," Clara answered. "They had a good car that was destroyed, but kept the passengers safe. There were lots of bruises and I think a broken bone, but they're fine."

"Are you ever going to get onto another motorcycle?"

"Yes, I am. I have ridden my motorcycle countless times without any difficulties. One incident isn't going to change my mind about it, though I will have to get a new one; or a new used one. Does anyone have any more questions?"

Clara thought she caught a glimpse of Nils sitting near the back.

"Are you all right, miss?" a student asked.

The seat was empty when Clara looked again.

"Yes. I'm making sure there are no more questions because when I start today's lesson, I won't be taking any more about the accident."

"Whose fault was it?" Courtney asked.

"The other driver admitted to being distracted by children in the backseat. Now, if there are no more questions, let's briefly review the last thing Ms. Harris covered."

The remainder of the school day progressed without incident. When Clara arrived home, Danny was already there preparing dinner.

"You didn't have to do that," Clara said. "I think I should pay you back by starting to take care of you." Clara started rummaging through her coats in a closet.

"I like doing this for you," Danny said. "I assume you had a lot to catch up on; I didn't see you once today at school."

"Yes, but I almost finished everything I needed to do. Everything will be back to normal soon."

"What are you doing?"

"I bumped into Nils the other day and he gave me his business card so we could meet. I'm looking for the card. I can't find it anywhere else."

"Are you serious?" asked Danny.

"What do you mean?"

"You saw Nils, like you ran into him outside the hospital? How?"

"What do you mean how? I was walking around the neighborhood and saw him."

"When?"

"Two days ago," Clara replied.

"Clara, Nils is still in a coma. I've been checking on him occasionally so I could give you good news if he woke up. When I called the hospital yesterday, they said he was still in a coma. I think the person I talked to would've mentioned Nils walking around two days ago."

"That's not possible."

"That's what the receptionist said. Are you sure it was Nils you saw?"

"Yes, definitely," said Clara.

"Do you want to go to the hospital after dinner?"

* * *

Danny put an arm around Clara as they both stood by Nils, comatose in his hospital bed.

"I know I saw him," Clara whispered.

"I believe you," Danny replied. "We've seen things stranger than coma patients walking around."

"I honestly need to establish a much better way of contacting the Doctor," Clara complained.

"What do you want to do now?"

"I want to go home. There's nothing to do here. If I don't see Nils again, then there's no problem. If I do, maybe I can talk to him and find out what's happening."

"When you talked to him, did it sound like him or did it sound like a less-real version of him, like a dream version?"

"I don't know."

The car ride back to Clara's was mostly quiet.

"I think you should go back to spending the nights at your place again."

"Are you upset about Nils?"

"No, it's just that everything is almost back to normal now. You don't have to take care of me anymore."

"I liked taking care of you."

"And I liked you taking care of me, but I know you have other things happening. I didn't want to keep you from them."

Later, Clara woke up in her bed suddenly. Intuitively suspecting she wasn't alone, Clara sat up and was startled by a dark figure near the foot of her bad.

"Danny, is that you?" Clara asked as she turned the light on. "Nils!"

"How are you, Clara?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you."

"It's 2:25 in the morning!"

"I wanted to make sure you're okay," said Nils.

"You are in a coma."

"Am I? It doesn't look like I'm in a coma."

"If I called the hospital, what do you think they'll tell me?"

"I'm not sure, perhaps I'm dedicated to my patient's care?"

"That's not what I mean. Besides, I'm not your patient anymore, Nils."

"That doesn't mean I've stopped caring about your health. How are you feeling?"

Nils reached out the touch Clara, but Clara recoiled.

"What's wrong?" Nils asked.

"You're not supposed to be here."

"Clara, please let me take care of you." Nils reached out further, only to surprise Clara and himself when his hand passed through Clara's right shoulder. "What is this?" Nils asked.

"You tell me."

"I don't know what's happening. What's going on, Clara?"

"I don't know," Clara answered.

"Please, Clara."

"I don't know any more than you do."

"I just want to help!"

"I know. Please calm down, Nils. We can sort this out."

"I just want to help!" Nils yelled loud enough to force Clara to wince and cover her ears. "I just want to help!"

Clara opened her eyes and took her hands off her ears. She was back in Agate Manor Prison. Clara let out an exasperated groan.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

"Do you normally talk in your sleep?" a neighboring prison mate asked Clara. Her feminine appearance accompanied a short prehensile tendril that wrapped around her neck.

"Hi. Are you new?" Clara asked.

"I arrived yesterday. We talked."

"Sure, okay. What's your name?"

"I'm Grunkan. You said you've been having periodic blackouts."

"Did I . . . do anything else besides talk to you?"

"No," Grunkan answered. "You forgot yesterday?"

"I did, yeah. Have you heard about anything strange or violent I've done recently?"

"No," Grunkan answered. "What's wrong? You are asking very weird questions."

"Oh, nothing," Clara replied sarcastically. "A man who treated me at a hospital has been popping up in random places even though he's supposed to be comatose. Also, he can't touch me."

"Is that what you just experienced? Is that why you were in the position you were just in?"

"Yeah," said Clara.

"That is a very strange dream."

"What?"

"It's a strange dream."

"No, that's reality for me. This is a dream. Me being at this prison is a dream."

"That would mean I'm a dream, wouldn't it?" Grunkan asked.

"Yes."

"I'm not a dream. What you just described sounds like a dream. It sounds like a strange dream and if you've been having blackouts, I suppose it's no surprise you're having strange dreams. I don't know where you're from, but where I'm from, there's a very strong correlation between the two."

Clara put her head down in utter frustration. "This has to be a dream," she said quietly.

Small slots opened in each of the cells and food slid through the slots.

"If you're convinced this is a dream, may I have your food? I didn't eat enough yesterday."

"Sure," Clara replied, handing Grunkan her meal.

Clara patiently waited in her cell, sitting on her bed, for free time to start. When it did, Clara headed to see the warden. Along the way, she noticed people stepping out of her way, trying to avoid her. She also noticed a family walking around the prison.

"Are you all here together?" Clara asked with curiosity and some hesitation.

"Yes, why wouldn't we be?"

"I mean, did you all commit a crime together?"

The family chuckled slightly. "We're visitors."

"Oh," Clara replied. "Of course."

Clara finally reached the door outside the warden's office. A few loud bangs gave her pause.

Clara knocked on the door. "Is everything all right in there?"

The door flew opened with the warden standing on the other side in his hooded robe.

"Why are you troubling me?" the warden yelled with fury.

"I heard some banging. I was concerned that something was wrong."

"I am the warden! With only twenty-two staff members to help me, I have been leading this prison moon for a quarter of my life! Do you think I would have trouble in my own office?"

"No, I don't," Clara tried to respond. "Wait, Pendrell said you're new."

"Why are you here?" the warden yelled.

Clara felt the entire building shake. "I was hoping you could help me."

"With what?"

"I've been trying to wake up from this dream. I thought maybe you'd be the trigger for it."

"This isn't a dream, you stupid criminal! Now, get back to the prisoners' area. If you don't have a reason for being here, then you are violating the rules. I have been working here every day since my vacation twenty rotocycles ago. I have no patience for this kind of behavior!"

"Okay," Clara said quickly. "I'm sorry."

The warden slammed the door shut with enough force to damage the door frame. Consequently, the door swung slightly ajar.

Clara looked through the small gap as the warden yelled in anger. After a brief moment, the warden removed his hood. Clara covered her mouth as she saw Nils.

Clara slowly walked back towards her cell, trying to make sense of Nils appearing as the warden. She wandered away from the usual path to a room with ceiling-high windows. Clara stared at an empty landscape. In the distance, she saw a small planet. Clara eventually resumed her trip back to her cell. She heard nearby prisoners murmuring in concern about the prison shaking. Clara eventually walked into an argument involving the family she previously met. "What's going on?"

"You!" someone said. "If anyone can reason with her, it's the neighbor who's caused us trouble before."

Clara saw Grunkan in a corner surrounded by three other prisoners. Grunkan's tendril wrapped around a visiting child's arm.

"Grunkan, what's wrong?" Clara asked.

"She was trying to smuggle herself out with the visitors," another prisoner answered.

"She's new. She just needs to be educated," someone else said.

"Escape attempts draw the warden's attention. We don't know what type of mood he's in right now."

"I do, and he is very cross right now," Clara said. "Grunkan, I will explain, but you need to let go," Clara suggested while approaching the family. Not caring about the risks of this dream world, Clara grabbed the young girl and removed Grunkan's tendril.

Two prisoners quickly grabbed the girl and Clara and distanced them away from Grunkan.

"What are you doing?" Grunkan demanded.

"I'm sorry about all this," Clara told the family. "I hope you will visit again and that you won't be bothered again when you do."

A few prisoners stepped in front of Grunkan, separating her from the family.

"I don't want to be here anymore," Grunkan interjected.

Two prisoners led the family away.

"It's over," a prisoner said. "Your chance is lost."

"You can't do this, Grunkan," Clara advised. "I've caused enough problems to know that you can't take risks like this. It's not worth it. Something is going on in this prison that I don't understand, but it's bad."

Grunkan suddenly tackled Clara to the ground, but several prisoners pulled Grunkan off Clara with ease.

"I'll kill you for this!" Grunkan yelled.

Small vibrations suddenly made their way through the area. Faces dropped before panic set in.

"Run! The warden is coming!"

The prisoners scattered. Clara ran for her cell while trying to keep a distance from Grunkan. An unseen force shoved many down to the ground, including Clara.

Clara felt a hand on her, pulling her into a room. She found herself, Grunkan, and three other prisoners hiding in there.

"What was that?" Grunkan asked.

"Apparently, that was the warden," Clara answered.

"It was," a prisoner confirmed. "You should have listened to our advice. We have been here longer than you have. We know things you do not!"

"Because you did not listen to us, you have brought this misery upon all of us. I am stunned by your selfishness and considering our prison company, that means a lot!"

Breathing outside the door caught everyone's attention, and the five people in the room stilled their actions and slowed their breaths to remain undetected.

Grunkan and Clara looked around and noticed how terrified the other three prisoners appeared.

A strong punch knocked the door off its hinges and onto the ground. The entire prison began to shake again. The warden stepped in and accosted Grunkan.

"You are a terrorist who re-routed a train into a government building," the warden yelled while grabbing Grunkan. "Do you think you deserve freedom?"

Grunkan tried to pry the warden's hand off her face.

Clara ran up to the pair. "Nils, please give her a second chance. Please."

The warden noticeably winced at the name, and then glared at Clara, ready to transfer his anger. However, the warden's face began to soften. Fury was replaced with confusion.

"Oh," the warden quietly said.

Clara was similarly speechless as she looked into the warden's eyes. The eyes seemed to have shifted from Nils' eyes to a pair that was very familiar to Clara.

The warden loosened his grip on Grunkan and ran off.

All the prisoners began picking themselves up and congregated with others in the hallway.

"We should go back to our cells," someone said.

"The warden gave her another chance," another prisoner said.

"I don't," Jorsil countered. She stepped towards Grunkan, who was in front of Clara. Jorsil pulled out the rod she previously used to threaten Clara.

Clara saw the rod and tried to push Grunkan away. However, Jorsil acted too quickly before anyone else could react and plunged the rod into Grunkan's abdomen.

Hearing Grunkan gasping, Clara looked down and saw a mix of blue and red liquid pouring out. Suddenly, Clara realized she was in a lot of pain. She stepped back and noticed that the rod had gone through her abdomen as well.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

Clara lied in bed for a while after waking up, keeping a hand on a wound that didn't exist on her body. She noticed a few photographs that had fallen behind her nightstand and retrieved them. The first photograph showed Danny looking at a fancy entrée in front of him. Clara felt her breathing speed up as the second picture showed Nils standing behind Clara. Danny and Clara were posing in front of a street performer.

"I know he wasn't there before," Clara told herself about Nils.

In the picture, Nils slowly moved an arm towards a smiling Clara.

"This cannot be real," Clara whispered. She put the photograph face down and closed her eyes. After taking a few deep breaths, Clara fought the urge to take another look at the picture. Ultimately, Clara's curiosity got the best of her and she took another look at the photograph. Nils was standing by himself in the picture, with no one else around. Nils suddenly lunged toward Clara, causing Clara to drop the picture with a yelp. The photograph landed face up and when Clara looked at it again, she saw the original image of her and Danny in front of a street performer.

Clara then set off to visit Nils in the hospital. As expected, Nils was still comatose, though Clara still felt the need to be near him.

"What is happening, Nils?" Clara asked quietly.

A nurse walked in on Clara.

"How is he doing?" Clara asked.

"Some of his vitals are improving. The doctors are starting to feel optimistic."

Clara noticed a bunch of flowers from Gentle Spirit Boutique with a card mentioning Sally Trotter.

"Hello, is this Gentle Spirit?" Clara later called.

"Yes, this is Ellen speaking. How may I help you?"

"My name is Danielle Rupert from Royal Mercy General Hospital. We received a flower arrangement for one of our patients from Ms. Sally Trotter. The patient lost Ms. Trotter's contact information and wished to thank her for the flowers. Do you have an address or a phone number that I could give to the patient?"

"I apologize, but I'm not sure I can provide that information."

"Oh, would you please? I'd hate to disappoint this patient. This would mean so much."

With more persistence, Clara managed to get a phone number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Sally Trotter?"

"Yes."

"My name is Clara Oswald. I was a patient at Royal Mercy General Hospital. We met very briefly when you were leaving."

"Yes, I remember. Nils Compton was with you."

"Yes, that's why I'm calling. This might sound weird, but have you been seeing Nils out and about lately?"

Silence answered Clara's question.

"Well . . ." Sally began without finishing.

"I have another question," said Clara, having a hunch. "Have you been having strange and realistic dreams set in the same place?"

"Would you like to meet up for lunch and discuss this?"

"Yes, definitely."

Clara met Sally at a café.

"I was dreaming about being on a luxurious Mediterranean cruise, and every guest had a staff member assigned to be on call. Nils was my staff member. The experience was so refreshing."

Clara didn't bother trying to hide her annoyance. "You got a cruise and I got a prison sentence. Wait, what do you mean you were dreaming? Did it stop?"

"No, but it changed," Sally explained. "Maybe a week ago, the boat began to rock more and more, and there were maggots in our food. People started fights with each other over nothing. I used to go to bed hoping for another cruise dream. Now, I'm afraid to sleep. What do you dream in prison?"

Clara explained her dreams about Agate Manor Prison.

"Did you die?" asked Sally.

"I'm not sure."

"If you did, could that mean the end of the dream?"

"I hope so. You said you didn't dream of the cruise every night?"

"No. Did you dream of the prison every night?"

"I didn't," Clara answered.

"How often do you see Nils when you're awake?"

"Maybe once every couple days since it started. Sometimes he's just there, but sometimes he's reaching out to me."

"I've had similar experiences. Have you visited Nils at the hospital since his collapse?"

"Yes," said Cara.

"I went there once, but it was disturbing to me. I've never gone back again. I sent flowers instead."

"I saw your flowers. They're nice. That's how I got your phone number."

"The florist's shop told you?"

"Yes. I hope that's all right."

"It is in this situation, but it wouldn't be in others. I should have words with the owner of the store."

"Have you spoken to anyone else about this? Do you know anyone who met Nils and had these experiences?"

"No, I've tried, but you shouldn't. I reached out to a man called Douglas Brown. I think he was the second patient who made a very quick recovery after meeting Nils. He is still angry over the accident. He's furious all the time. Talking to him was difficult. There's also a woman, Tricia Piper. I think she's the third of Nils' patients, but she's a recluse. She doesn't like to talk to anyone. She doesn't like going out. I didn't want to press the matter. All I know is that she used to dream of a farmland filled with pets she loved. She only had pleasant dreams, but they eventually ended."

"Do you think the fast recovery rates at the hospital are because of Nils?" Clara asked.

"Yes," Sally answered. "People don't heal so quickly anymore, now that Nils is unwell."

"Who was the first patient?"

"I don't know. He had a very strange name, and I can't recall it. It sounded like Elon, but it was definitely a stranger name."

* * *

Clara let out a frustrated groan while on her computer.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked.

"There are too many people named Douglas Brown in the area."

"Why are you so interested in finding these two patients?"

"I think there's a connection. The warden in my dream had different moods, almost like personalities. The way Sally was talking and the way she described Douglas and Tricia reminded me of what I saw or heard about."

Danny gave Clara a look that invited her to provide further clarification.

"I don't know any of these people. How could I have dreams having anything to do with them unless Nils was somehow affecting my dream?"

"Are you going to be mad at me if I suggest this is a coincidence?"

"No, but there is something going on," Clara answered. "You have to admit that." Clara exited the window she was looking at and gave up.

Clara found herself back in Agate Manor Prison.

As she was walking down a dark corridor, Clara noticed how heavy her breathing was.

"What will his mood be?" someone whispered.

Clara looked around, and she was alone.

"Will he be nice or violent?" another voice whispered.

Again, Clara couldn't determine the source of the whispering. In front of Clara was a door. She looked behind and saw nothing in the darkness. Slowly, she approached the door and put a hand on the knob. Instantly, Clara was in the next room, feeling claustrophobic.

"It's smaller . . . on the inside," Clara quietly said.

Clara progressed towards another door at the end of the room. With every step she took, Clara felt the walls closing in, until she realized they actually were. Clara looked behind her again. The dark and frigid void she saw made her understand that she had no choice in where to go. Clara quickened her pace forward, but noticed the walls were closing in more quickly. Desperately, she sprinted ahead until the felt the walls making contact with her arms.

A phone call woke Clara up.

Clara exhaled. "Just a normal dream," she remarked. "Hello?"

"Hello. This is Scott from Royal Mercy General Hospital. This is Clara Oswald, correct?"

"Yes."

"I wanted to inform you that Nils Compton has woken up."

* * *

Clara and Danny walked into Nils' room together. Nils was alone, but connected to more machines than before.

"Nils?" Clara said cautiously.

"Clara Oswald," Nils replied. "It's good to see you. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I'm perfect."

"Physically," Danny added.

"What's wrong?" Nils asked.

"I've been seeing you around town. I spoke to another one of your former patients, Sally Trotter. She said the same thing."

"What do you mean?"

"I've seen you out and about," Clara answered. "Sometimes we talk."

"About what?" Nils asked.

"One time we were just chatting about you being conscious. You said you had an out-of-body experience and we talked about you getting together with me and Danny."

"Did I give you a business card?"

"Yes," Clara answered. "You wanted to stay in touch."

"I thought that was a dream."

"Nils, did you visit me one morning, around 2:00? Did you tell me you wanted to help, but your hand passed through me?"

Nils looked horrified. "That was real? I'm sorry, Clara. I just wanted to take care of people. I didn't know that was happening. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I'm fine. I just don't understand how this is happening. How are you able to project yourself like that?"

"I don't know. It must have something to do with this thing I do. I don't understand how it works. I just want to use it to help people and help people remember me. I just want people to remember me helping them."

"What are you talking about?" Danny asked. "What thing are you talking about?"

"The dreams," Nils said. "Your dreams."

Clara and Danny looked at each other.

"You put that in my head?"

"I was trying to help you. After I started healing people with my touch a few months ago, I realized I could set up dreams for them to help them cope psychologically. I could give people pleasant dreams that would ease their discomfort. I tried to control it enough that people would continue having these dreams for a while."

"Being in a prison for the worst criminals in the galaxy didn't help me cope psychologically. When is this supposed to end?"

"You were supposed to be in a tropical resort. I set you up in a beachside bungalow. I was supposed to be the resort manager who catered to your needs."

"No, I was in a prison with an unpredictable warden who looked like you."

"I'm sorry," Nils said. "I must've lost control as I was getting sicker. I'm sorry. Bring your head closer to me."

Clara bowed down closer to Nils. Nils put a hand on Clara's forehead.

"The dreams should be over, now. Please forgive me."

"They were just dreams. There's nothing to forgive," Clara said, trying to convince herself as well.

"What was the purpose of all this?" asked Danny.

"I'm sick," Nils replied.

"How are you doing? I assume you're better now that you're awake."

Nils shook his head. "This is temporary. The doctors here say I will fall unconscious again soon, and I'll never wake up again."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Clara said.

"I just wanted to make people feel better and know that I helped them."

"We know how much you care about people," Danny remarked.

"It's not just that. Someone said that people die twice. The first time they die is when their bodies fail. The second time is when they are forgotten for the last time. I can't do anything about the first death. Ever since my diagnosis two years ago, I've been doing everything I can to postpone the second death. I just wanted people to remember me for helping them and caring about them."

"Well, I definitely will," said Clara.

Clara and Danny stayed with Nils for a few more hours until Nils was too tired to talk.

When Clara returned home, she didn't notice the TARDIS at first, until the Doctor called out to her.

"I thought you'd be at your school. What are you doing here?" the Doctor asked.

"It's Saturday. Why are you here when you think I'm not?"

"The TARDIS brought me here. I was trying to get to your school."

"I could have you used you days ago," Clara commented. "Everything is sorted, but maybe you could answer some questions I still have."

"What happened?"

"I crashed my motorcycle. My sick physical therapist has the ability to heal people so I recovered quickly. Something happened and he started appearing randomly and creepily. Also, he tried to give me nice dreams, but I ended up dreaming I was in Agate Manor Prison with an erratic warden that looks like my physical therapist."

"Agate Manor?" the Doctor asked. "I don't remember mentioning that place to you."

"What? It's real?"

"Of course it is. It used to be a terrible place. Aside from the Daleks, I don't know anyone who deserves to be sentenced there. It is not a place where you'd want to spend any time."

"Well, something is going on and if it's a real place, I think you should take me there."

* * *

Many thanks to **InfinityAgent** for the kind review and to **Chimmicherry** for following.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

The Doctor scanned Nils Compton. He had used the TARDIS to sneak into the hospital with Clara after visiting hours ended.

"He's completely human," the Doctor quietly said.

"I know!" Clara replied in a hushed tone. "He told me he's human. Can we go back to the TARDIS now before someone sees us?"

"Danny and I talked to Nils for a few hours earlier," Clara explained in the TARDIS. "He doesn't know anything about what happens on other planets. How is he connected to a prison in another part of the galaxy?"

"I don't know. I agree we should go to Agate Manor."

"What do you know about the prison?"

"It's the smallest moon of the planet Poverss. The prison houses some of the most terrible criminals out there," the Doctor explained. "It's also known for being ruled by the agate monarchs. They were commended for changing the prison system there, which reformed the justice system across parts of the galaxy. The monarchs haven't started their reign yet, so Agate Manor is a really bad place to be right now."

"If there was something real about my dreams, then there is a warden now, and I met him."

"You said he looks like Nils."

"Yes, and there was one moment where I thought I could see myself in his eyes."

"That sounds romantic," the Doctor commented.

"I didn't mean it that way. I think the warden has different personalities, and I think one of them might be based on me. I didn't think anything of it when I thought I saw myself, but I met another one of Nils' former patients, and the way she spoke and carried herself was like the warden the first time I met him. She also described other patients of Nils' that I thought I could see in Nils."

The TARDIS landed, and Clara looked at the door with some hesitation.

"Come on," the Doctor said.

Clara and the Doctor stepped out into the empty infirmary.

"This is what it looked like in my dream. I'm banned from here."

"Did you look like you when you thought you might have been here?"

"I don't know. This place doesn't have reflective surfaces."

The Doctor looked slightly surprised.

"Don't say anything," Clara warned. "I don't want to wait to see if me being banned here will attract any attention. Let's just find the warden."

Clara led the Doctor to the warden's office.

"You really must have been here," the Doctor commented.

Clara hesitated at the warden's door.

"Are you going to knock?" asked the Doctor. He leaned against the door and gestured to it.

"Sure," Clara replied. "I just hope he's in a good mood."

"There's only one way to find out."

The door flung open before Clara did anything. The Doctor stumbled forward and nearly bumped into the warden, blocking the warden's view of Clara.

"Who are you to come to my office?" the warden asked sternly. "I have no records of registered visitors resembling you."

"Hello. I'm the Doctor."

"The Doctor?" the warden asked. "That explains it. Doctor, there are some in this galaxy that consider you a hero to be immortalized in statue. There are some in this galaxy that consider you a fine fit for this prison itself."

"Hello," Clara said behind the Doctor.

"You," the warden quietly said.

"And what do you think of me?" the Doctor asked, not hearing the warden.

"I think I should make the debate irrelevant by removing you."

Clara saw that the warden was going to swipe his hands towards the Doctor. She quickly tackled the Doctor down onto the ground. The wall behind the pair took the brunt of a telekinetic blast that broke it apart. Clara led the Doctor out and down some stairs.

"Which personality is this?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't think I met this one before," Clara answered.

"If you are in there somewhere, you either don't like me or you don't have enough control."

The warden pursued the Doctor and Clara. The chase continued into a room filled with stone statues and the warden finally caught up. He lunged for the Doctor and successfully tackled him. The warden screamed upon making contact and shoved the Doctor away.

"I felt them," the Doctor quietly said. "I felt you."

"What did you do to me?" the warden asked.

"I didn't do anything, but I felt them. I heard them."

"Heard who?" Clara asked. "Did you hear the other personalities?"

"Eighteen total, but they're not all functional personalities."

"Nils told me he super-healed seventeen patients total."

The warden exhaled loudly. "You two should leave right now. I'm trying to convince the others to let you leave. Leave in case I fail."

Clara looked at the warden. "Hello. This is weird. Do you have my memories?"

"Some," the warden answered. "Are you leaving?"

"Aren't you curious about what's happening? Do you already know?" Clara asked while the Doctor stood up. "Doctor, what did you mean when you said the personalities weren't functional?"

"They're not personalities like you understand them. They can communicate with each other, but not all of them can control the body," the Doctor said while scanning the warden. He then scanned the room.

"What are you doing?" the warden asked.

"I want to talk to the warden," the Doctor demanded. "Seventeen patients and the original warden are there. Bring out the warden."

"I really think you two should leave," the warden advised.

"I'll take my chances."

The warden began to breathe heavily and closed his eyes. He opened them with a tired expression.

"What's your name?" the Doctor asked.

"I am Olland Reffle. I am the original warden here."

"You're here leading this prison by yourself, yeah?" said Clara. "Even with the minimal security this moon needs, you've overextended yourself."

"Is that why you splintered?" the Doctor asked. "This was too much for an individual."

"It has been exhausting," Olland admitted. "They said only one warden is needed. They said I was enough, so they wouldn't hire anyone else to help me. I let someone else take over."

"I can help you," said the Doctor.

"I can't do this by myself," Olland continued. "I need to find a way."

"You told me before you had a vacation," Clara said. "Did it help at all?"

"I visited your planet, but my vehicle malfunctioned when it landed, and I was injured. I spent most of my time recovering my body, then repairing my transport."

Clara frowned. "Did you land in England?"

"Yes, that's the country."

"You were Nils Compton's patient, weren't you?"

"Yes, I remember him," Olland replied. "He was good."

"Doctor, how much time is twenty rotocycles in Earth time?" Clara asked.

"A little bit over three months."

"You must've been the first person Nils healed," Clara realized. "Do you know how he got the abilities he has?"

"I suspected we formed a connection," the warden said. "I felt my abilities transfer, and then he used them on myself."

"You look like him, now. Did you know that?"

"No, I did not. He must have imparted his appearance onto me. We had so much physical contact there could have been something."

"Your connection to Nils brought Clara here and brought the others into your mind."

"What do you mean Clara was here?"

"I'm the troublemaker who was recently transferred here. I was chased by Odfris and Jorsil, only I didn't realize this was a real place. I thought this was a dream. Nils must have somehow sent me here."

"So that was you pleading for Grunkan," the warden commented.

"Yes," Clara replied.

"Nils and I are still connected."

"I told you I could help you," said the Doctor. "What are these statues? There was life in them."

"They are prisoners who broke the rules," Olland replied. "Sometimes, the punishment for violating rules is to be turned into agate. Sometimes, it is not. Sometimes, there is mercy."

"You said there was life," Clara observed. "They aren't living anymore?"

"The bodies are still there, possibly functional with enough intervention. The minds are gone."

"How can you help me?" Olland asked.

"I'm familiar with the neurology of your species," the Doctor said. "I know how your minds work. Fragmenting is not uncommon among your kind under these circumstances. If the minds of these statues are truly blank, I can transfer copies of your consciousness into them. I can move each persona into a different copy."

"All of them?"

"Yes," the Doctor replied. "You would have seventeen other wardens to help you. Together, the eighteen of you could each rule different sections of this moon."

"You can really do that?" asked Clara.

"It'll take time, but I can do it. I can also sever the connection to Nils."

The Doctor brought the TARDIS into the room. He hooked up seventeen of the humanoid agate statues and Olland into the TARDIS. Next, the Doctor placed his hands on Olland's head and closed his eyes.

Olland started to convulse, and some of the agate statues began to move. The Doctor continued his work as Olland's skin began to harden and take on an agate appearance.

Finally the Doctor let go, and the seventeen agate statues were moving freely with their eyes and mouths open.

"You monarchs can get to work now," the Doctor said.

"Monarchs?" Olland asked. "I like that."

"Well, you can rest," said the Doctor. "The other seventeen are in rested bodies. They can take over for now. Clara, would you like to go home?"

"Wait," said Clara. "Which one of you is modeled after me?"

One of the agate monarchs raised a hand.

Clara gazed at the monarch. "Actually, never mind. This is weird."

"Yes, it is," the monarch agreed.

"And which of you is Sally Trotter?"

Another monarch raised her hand.

"When we met, you said 'Vetshen.' Is that a name? Whenever I dreamed of this place, someone told me I did things I couldn't remember. Was I in someone else? Did I look different?"

"Yes, that was Vetshen. It seems you were inhabiting her body."

"Nils' illness must have made his powers erratic. What happened to Vetshen? Jorsil stabbed Grunkan and me."

"Vetshen died from the injuries she sustained. Jorsil has been punished."

"Oh," Clara replied quietly. "Where is Vetshen's body?"

"It's in storage. When it's time to remove and bury the waste of the prison, she will be transported out with it."

Clara grimaced at the thought. "Doctor, can we take her body? I want to give her a proper burial."

"Olland, can we have the body?" the Doctor asked.

"You may," Olland answered. "One of us will take you there. After you retrieve her, please depart, so that I may rest and the others may restructure the management of this moon."

"Thank you," Clara said.

The Doctor and Clara took Vetshen's body to a serene and sparsely-populated planet they have visited before and buried her.

* * *

Six days later, Clara and Danny visited Nils, who was on the ground floor of the hospital.

"My vitals have been slipping since last night," Nils explained. "My doctors think I will lose consciousness before the end of the day and never wake up again."

"Can we push Nils' bed closer to the window?" Clara asked a nearby nurse.

"Yes. Some more sunlight would be good, I think."

Danny and Clara pushed Nils' bed to a window.

"Can you see outside?" Clara asked while Danny opened a window. "I brought along some other people, and some students of mine."

"Hello, Nils."

"Hi, Sally!"

"I just wanted to make sure you know that I will remember you."

"Thank you," Nils replied.

"Hi, Nils."

"Hi, Cameron."

"Thank you for everything you did for me. What you did was a miracle. I'll remember this and remember you for the rest of my life. I will tell my children about what you did, so they'll know all about you. They will remember you, too."

Nils's eyes began to water.

"Hello, Mr. Compton. I'm Courtney Woods. I'm one of Miss Oswald's students. She told us all about how you helped her. I wrote you a card and came to thank you for Miss Oswald's fast recovery. We missed her and are glad to have her back at school. I will remember you."

"My name is James Bennett. I'm also one of Miss Oswald's students. I will remember you."

"My name is Evan Perry. I will remember you."

"Thank you, Nils. I can't imagine ever having another physical therapist like you. I will remember you."

"My name is Ella Stanton. I'm Cameron's sister. Our family is so grateful for everything you did to help Cameron. We will remember you."

"I am John Brooker. I will remember you."

"I will remember you."

* * *

That's the end of the story. Thanks for reading and thank you to **Alliedstasis** for reviewing.

Feel free to note anything confusing or anything not explained well. I'll edit the story if needed.


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